Audit and evaluation

(1) The state auditor shall every three years: (a) conduct an audit of the contractor's use of funds for UPSTART; or (b) contract with an independent certified public accountant to conduct an audit. (2) The office shall: (a) require the contractor to open the contractor's books and records relating to the contractor's expenditure of funds to the state auditor or the state auditor's designee; (b) reimburse the state auditor for the actual and necessary costs of the audit; and (c) contract with an independent, qualified evaluator, selected through a request for proposals process, to evaluate the home-based educational technology program. (3) The evaluator described in Subsection (2)(c) shall use, among other indicators, assessment scores from an assessment described in Section 53G-7-203 to evaluate whether the contractor has effectively prepared preschool children for academic success as described in Section 63N-20-102. (4) Of the money appropriated by the Legislature for UPSTART, no more than 7.5% of the appropriation not to exceed $600,000 may be used for the evaluation and administration of the program.